


Blood in the Water

by kookcreme



Category: own story - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Crimes & Criminals, Dark, Demons, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Horror, Kidnapping, M/M, Murder, Mystery, Rebels, Teen Romance, Teenage Drama, Thriller
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-15 23:38:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17538509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kookcreme/pseuds/kookcreme
Summary: Richmond was always the most crime-free country in all of America. When Adrianna Waters settles there, everything changes for her, and her family and friends. Starting with her classmate's sudden disappearance. Ten eighth graders work together to help catch the criminal, or criminals who were terrorizing the citizens of the small state.





	Blood in the Water

“We all have our quirks. If some way, we were able to put those  
quirks together like puzzle pieces, we can achieve great things.”

 

 

Richmond, the capital of Virginia. For a long time, we had been a quiet and tranquil city, with the lowest crime rate in all of America for quite a while now. I grew up here; born and raised, and I have loved every square inch of Richmond. My family's manor was grand, furnished with the most exquisite and majestic furniture from across the world. As you can see, my family, the Harpers, have been in tea business for quite a long time. Our rivals, however are another family, the Wrights. In my opinion, I feel like this feud was the cause of the series of unexpected cases that took place in Richmond for a couple of years. Which was sad, because I loved spending my childhood here, running from room to room with all the maids and butlers who had served me since I was a baby. Or hanging out at the cafes with my friends and family.  
At school, I was always the center of attention. When I entered through the large wooden doors, all eyes were on me, and my best friend, who we’ll talk about soon. We were classmates for a long time now, but I always envy the attention she gets. I worked my way on top of the social pyramid, but she just found her way to the throne and placed herself there. I was fine, nevertheless, I was the head cheerleader and was dating the captain of our school's basketball team, I got good grades and every living person in the school knew who I was.  
However, little did the people know that when Richmond was neutral and calm, people were plotting ways to completely annihilate the town I grew up in, starting with me. But I'm not going to recite my story, I'm here to tell you how the once the serenity of the town was broken, and the Mill Creek’s water was replaced with an overabundance of blood.  
The story begins on a usual Monday in mid-September, when every citizen was busy. A flurry of activity takes place in every house, every school and every office as the town welcomes a new week. Adrianna Waters, a fourteen year old from who knows where had just stepped on Virginian ground, embracing the warm air around her. She had been traveling around all of America since she was a little girl. She didn't know what her parents did for a living, but she hated the constant moving, not making enough friends, leaving the best ones behind, it broke her heart like a vintage ceramic vase.  
Adrianna was excited for Richmond though, her parents told her that they would be staying there until she graduates. Although she and her family finally got a place to settle, Waters couldn’t help but be suspicious about the sudden decision to stay in the placid town of Richmond. Both of her parents worked secretly, not allowing poor Adrianna to be introduced into their work. Usually, one would try and help their child to pursue their own occupation, but the daughter was banned to interfere. The most she bonded was when her father taught her how to use a gun, she was at the mere age of seven at that time. Growing up, she was definitely lonely, but was able to live with it, until she moved to Virginia.  
New school, new life.  
She thought to herself, taking in a deep breath as she stepped onto the cemented path that led her to the school. She looked around her, children around her age and perhaps older were giggling and conversing with their friends, talking about the adventure they had during the weekend. Adrianna had never seen a town with such lively people, who were happy about Monday starting, and she couldn’t wait to see her class. Once she entered the doors of the school, she was greeted by a galore of students swarming towards her, and for her height, it wasn’t a preferred place to be in. They were literally “welcoming her with open arms”, but it took the girl tiem to realize that they were just going around to get their books from their lockers or speed away to their homeroom. Adrianna clenched her backpack and the binder in her hands, making sure that they won’t flow with the crowd, like a ship in the midst of an uncontrollable storm. Suddenly, she felt a cold grasp in her hand pulling her out of the mass. Scared, she didn’t even budge her eyelids, not knowing what Dracula-like monster had just saved her from a stampede.  
“You must be Adrianna Waters.”  
A reassuring voice said from what seemed to be in front of the newcomer. If she learned something about people with soothing voices is that they aren’t what they seem to be like; kind and sweet. They may also be wicked and rotten, but under a compelling camouflage, like a siren. She slowly blinked and looked at the owner of the voice. It was a girl, around the same age as her. She had an extremely dark brown hair, which almost looked black. Her eyes were two rich chocolate buttons, and her skin was flawless. She was like the girl everyone wanted to be like when they grew up. She wore a formal yet chic attire; a blue shirt and a matching skirt that was just above her knees. She wore shoes that were so shiny you would be able to see your own reflection on them, along with a purple blouse with a pin that said “Student council president” attached to it.  
“That’s me...”  
Adrianna stuttered. The girl chortled innocently before introducing herself.  
“I am Natalie Adams from Grade 8A, and I am your welcome buddy, as well as the council president of the school.”  
Adams.  
Her last name sounded deadly familiar, but she couldn’t put her finger on where she had heard it before. Was she a family friend? No, she never met her. Or one of her mother’s close friends? Perhaps not. Of course, it’s a very generic last name, more than five hundred people had the same last name as her, but she felt like she had been closer to Natalie, as if they were sisters, even if they had just met.  
Natalie reached her hand out for a friendly handshake, knowing that they would go along well. Adrianna gladly accepted the gesture, relieved that she finally made a friend. The two walked through the hallways towards their classroom. Adrianna was shocked on how everyone made a pathway for Natalie to pass tough, as if she was the queen. When she came through the doors, she was nearly crushed to death! But this was the behavior everyone should do when the student council president was coming through.  
“Quite a lively school.”  
The entrant said, looking around the wide turquoise walls of the school.  
“It’s more lively when Payton is here.”  
Natalie said. Adrianna stared at her welcome buddy with puzzled eyes.  
Payton.  
Who could that be? Was she the daughter of the mayor, the president, or a famous celebrity? There couldn’t be any way that the school was more spirited when this anonymous Payton was present, it would be chaotic, an utter pandemonium.  
“Oh, she’s just the most popular girl in school.”  
Natalie said, introducing the unknown girl. Adrianna knew that the school would be just like every stereotypical American school, which probably had a girl who dated the quarterback and was the queen bee of the school, and a nerd who liked being alone and keeping their hood on their head at all times and how the class will be divided in cliques that never got along with each other, ever. Soon enough, she reached her classroom, which was on the second floor of the building, right beside the IT lab. Natalie swung the door open and showed Adrianna her new class. The walls were dull, unlike the other rooms, which were painted with bright and vibrant colors. There were two boys in a corner, whispering to each other, three girls were studying, another two were chatting in the other corner with their books wide open and one boy was on his laptop whereas the boy in front of him was on his phone. It seemed like they were all on their own, separated in the lonely place where they call a classroom. Natalie cleared up his throat, and immediately everyone glanced at the door, taking a good look at the president and the commoner beside.  
“Welcome. This is Adrianna Waters. She is joining us from today onward.”  
Adrianna felt frightened, watching their eyes glued on her. She wondered what they were thinking, what was going on their minds, what were they going to talk about her. They all soon went back to the things they were doing before, not worrying about the girl entering.  
“You can choose a seat now.”  
Natalie said. Adrianna was confused, with all the students scattered around the place, she didn’t know who’s seat was who’s. She observed every student, noting down every characteristic they had, assuming their backgrounds that will make her decide where to sit. After a long debate on her head, she decided on the seat in the front, beside the boy who had a royal blue jersey on and on his phone. She kept her binder on top, and right before she let go of it, she saw a hand slam down on the surface of the table. She looked up to see Natalie’s eyes staring deep into Adrianna’s own pair. She was afraid again, as she felt the cold stare from every student in the classroom fall upon her, for the second time.  
“That’s where Payton sits. No one sits where Payton sits.”  
She mumbled out, her teeth gnashing as she clenched her hand into a fist.  
Payton.  
The one girl Adrianna had no idea of, but whoever she was, was a big deal to the school or perhaps Natalie’s life. It was as if she was risking her life, and that she would pounce on anyone who would try and sit on her desk, even if it was a mistake. She glanced at the classroom, and watched as the students have blank expressions, mixing in the silence of the room. She saw a girl who was sitting in the back, her hair was blonde with a few brown streaks, she was pointing to the seat beside her, gesturing that the desk was vacant. Adrianna hurriedly took her binder and walked to the back of the classroom, and all of the other students’ eyes followed her every move, like stalkers. She slammed her binder on the desk and swiftly sat on the chair in order to bring peace to the classroom. She watched as Natalie calmed down and on the desk beside the empty one. Finally, she watched as all the attention was soon going away.  
Seven seconds.  
Seven seconds was all it took until the deathly stares everyone gave was finally gone. She realized, when something big happens, everyone in the room watches without a comment, before they all ignore it a second later. It surprised her, how unenthusiastic they were, lifeless teenagers who had no time for others and the only people they were caring about was no other than themselves.  
“Ignore her.”  
Another voice said. This time, it was coming from beside her. It was a bit deeper than Natalie’s, but not as deep to be a man’s voice. Adrianna looked at her, the girl who told her to take the seat where she was. The girl smiled, brimming with a little bit of happiness. Her ocean blue eyes were mesmerizing, people could actually drown in those sapphire pearls.  
“It’s okay… I wasn’t expecting that.”  
Adrianna whispered, not wanting to sound rude on her first day, let alone in front of the president of the school. The girl beside her patted her shoulder, which was very comforting.  
“I’m Lilith. Lilith Flores.”

She presented herself. Somehow, her presence just made Adrianna felt more at home, Lilith was like a mother. It was warm and heartwarming, just how people should welcome others.

“Adrianna Waters, but you can call me Anna.”

She said back. Lilith smiled again, happy to make a new friend, despite the trouble she had in the past. Adrianna then decided to ask a question to Lilith which she felt like couldn’t ask to anyone else in the room.

“Say Lilith, were you all always like this? Separated into pairs, groups and solo?”

Lilith sighed and closed her textbook, the matter was far more important than any of her unfinished homework that she had to complete. 

“You don’t know Payton Harper.”

She said, scooting her chair closer to Adrianna’s seat.

Harper.

That was her last name. It seemed angelic, but something told her that it wasn’t as perfect as it sounds. Nonetheless, she was curious to hear about the story of the notorious Payton Harper. Was she the one who divided the class into estates? Was she like a communist leader? A dictator?

“Payton had been in Richmond since she was born. Her family supplies the best-quality tea in all of southeast America. She and Natalie were in this school the longest. This class used to hold twenty-seven students, but most of them left to John Smith’s Academy, our rivals. The two were like soul sisters, always together like super glue and nothing could break them. When I first joined, I saw the class as a group of friends and I was happy. Yet, as always, the both of them bullied me. I then showed them something that made them… a bit scared.”

Adrianna could almost relate. All her previous friends would definitely be scared if they were ever to see her skills with the gun and she thought that maybe Lilith hides a secret about a lethal weapon, like her. But she didn’t seem like the one to be owning a weapon, she wasn’t the murderous type either. 

“I was bullied even more, and eventually I saw the entire class beginning to break apart. We got into fights very often, it was terrible. Some fights went as far as to suspension and expelling. Payton just smiled through bedlam, I felt like she was wanting for it to happen. I was heartbroken, watching the people I loved so much drifting away from me. Eventually, I got used to being lonely and dependent so I never complained.”

Tears began to form on the bottom eyelids, her face glistening as they dropped to her cheeks. It was a sensitive topic to talk about for Lilith. Adrianna consoled her, but the silent whimpers echoed throughout the room, and she was worried that it was drawing attention towards them, but to her surprise no one bothered to even ask Lilith about her troubles. Instead she heard a murmur of “She’s crying again.” The girl was shocked at the lack of concern for the fellow classmate. In her fourteen years of traveling all over the States, she had never seen such heartless people.

A loud laughter was replaced with Lilith’s sobs as everyone glinted at the source, Natalie Adams. She clapped her hands, walking to where Lilith’s face was in the crook of Adrianna’s neck, drenching her cotton shirt with the tears of a dreamer who hopes for the anarchy to end. 

“I’ve seen this scene so many times. Always crying and complaini-”

Natalie was cut off by a sudden slap from Adrianna. A loud, synchronized gasp came out of everyones mouths as they saw a red mark on the cheek of the school’s princess. Adrianna’s chest began to pump quickly, she was too angry to comprehend about her actions. 

“If you had always seen her cry, haven’t you ever thought of helping her?”

She raised her voice. It was very unlikely for her to be like that on her first day in a school full of selfish children who cared about their own state and not others. She didn’t know what spark had ignited inside her to cause her to freak out, but she believed that what she did was right. 

“Foolish commoner.”

Natalie laughed wickedly, being face-to-face with the girl who humiliated her in front of her subjects. Surprisingly, her eyes were different from when she first met her after rescuing her from the mob. They were balls of fury, burning at an unmanageable rate. The hand she slapped her with was trembling, and her breath hitched as her body shook.

“If you had known our stories maybe you’d understand.”

She screamed at her, pushing the girl at the wall, causing a huge vibration to pass through the cracking walls before she stormed out of the room to wash up. Everyone was still at a state of shock from the fight that had happened, which wasn’t the ideal way to begin the week, but it was far more extraordinary than the weeks before. 

“Anna, are you alright?”

Lilith asked, stammering. Adrianna nodded, revealing that she was fine, when really she wasn’t. Her subconscious was telling her that Richmond Middle school was going to be far different from the previous schools she attended. She stood up wobbling, like a baby deer just out of the womb. 

“You have some nerve, newbie.”

A boy said this time from the left corner. 

“No one even dares to touch Natalie. You did something only the bravest could.”

He added. The others nodded in agreement, sharing a few smiles and giggles. Lilith was smiling mirthfully once more. Although it was merely a few seconds when the class was united, old memories came to her mind and they were the allied group they were once again.

Twelve seconds.

That’s how long it took for them to go back to their own work. Although there was only a five second difference, those five seconds were progress, and Adrianna’s mother always told her that slow progress was better than no progress. She leaned back on her wooden chair and smiled at the class she was sorted in and she couldn’t help but wonder what adventures she would go on in the town of secrets.

The first day went fleetly, and eventually it led to the second day where she tried to advance the development she was making to make the class of hers one again, despite Natalie’s beliefs that everything was fine as it was before, and unfortunately for her, everyone was slowly being friendlier to each other. It had been two weeks since Adrianna had joined and all the students of eighth grade was already closer and she felt proud. She felt like she filled up a void that was left empty for many, many years. Now, whenever she entered the doors of her classroom, she sees them all sitting on top of desks chattering and laughing together. Everyone except for Natalie, who sits silently on her table, beside Payton’s. There had been numerous times when anyone would invite her to their discussions, but she refused every offer she was given. All she’d say was,

“Wait till Payton comes back.”

Adrianna kept those words in mind. She was curious to meet this ‘Payton’ who makes shivers go down every spine, a word that was identified as a curse through the brick walls of the middle school, the girl who was able to split the whole grade into little fragments; like a broken mirror. Definitely, she was her rival and she couldn’t wait until they meet and the grade would start a civil war, but Adrianna was fully armed, both rhetorically and literally, and she was ready to take down any person who would try and put down her thoughts. It had been around a month and that girl had never came to school, not once. Natalie was beginning to get worried sick, her best friend wasn’t responding to her texts, calling back or even posting anything on her social media. Every day at school she stared deeply at the empty desk, wondering when it would be filled, when Payton would come back and return the class’s state to normal. 

Adrianna became really close with everyone, such as Marigold Miller, the girl with three younger siblings in a so called “perfect” family. Or Gwendolyn Baker, who said that she could sense things that were going to be happening; good or bad. Scarlette Davis-Beaumont, she was French-American but her parents divorced a long time ago. Daniel Rodriguez, he was Payton’s boyfriend and the captain of the school’s basketball team. Matteo Hawkins, the IT genius, he’s extremely good at coding, hacking and gaining information both legally and illegally. Quinton Carter, he revealed that his father works as a mafia gang member, and they had also been running from place to place in his father’s caravan. Although it was hard to get off his chest, the others were happy to gain his trust. Finally, there was Jack Parker, who was Quinton’s best friend, as well as a computer brainiac like Matteo. Lilith couldn’t help but feel sorry for Natalie, no matter how much she hated what she and her friend did all those ears back. She left the conversation and walked to Natalie’s table, where she slumped on her desk, holding her tears. Lilith lightly patted her shoulder to get her attention. She looked back, blinking to stop the faint tears from showing.

“Natalie, I think you sho-”

“I don’t care! Payton will come back and she will teach you all a lesson.”

Natalie interrupted, swatting her hand away. No matter how much everyone tried taking her out of her shell, which was almost unbreakable, she would curl up and hide in the corner of her wn doubts and worries. Her eyes became moist as her lips began to quiver. For the first time, the class saw a side of Natalie they had never seen before. She was a combination of sadness, anger, guilt and regret. She felt like she could be a better friend, a better person if she had never done some actions she did in the past. Perhaps then they could be like a family again. No more fighting, no more pain, no more tears. The hurricane of emotions was causing a lot of damage in her mind and the others were trying to help her, but even Adrianna agreed, nothing would be possible without the one and only Payton Harper, her childhood best friend.

“I don’t think she’s coming back.” 

Lilith said. She was right, in a way. Payton barely took day offs and when she did, she always informed her friends first. But now, she just disappeared. Natalie’s feelings began to get triggered more as she tried denying it, but even she knew that Lilith was saying the truth. 

“No! She’s coming back! She will...”

The president cried softly, hiding her face by cupping her hands. At that point, she could really use a friend like Adrianna, a shoulder to cry on, to rely on. Ever since she pushed the girl with a massive force, she felt like they didn’t want her with them any more. She was a clique of one. The entire room was debating if the girl would return back to Richmond Middle school, it was a casual topic to talk about. It wasn’t a big deal until Matteo froze in front of his screen in the midst of the conversation. He became pale white as he managed to let a few words out of his mouth.

“Uh guys… you may want to see this.”

The class became quiet as they all huddled close to Matteo and his laptop where a site showed the news. The top headline was written in capital, bold and red letters. Those three words made everyone paralyzed with fear. The classroom was filled with gasps, sobs and confused looks passing onto each other. It couldn’t be real, it shouldn’t be. Adrianna couldn’t even count how long it took them to They saw a picture of Payton in the corner with the three words that made everyone’s heart stop for a moment. However, Natalie felt the need to move constantly; if her limbs were moving, then the anxiety of the news was gone, or at least she could ignore it a while.

It couldn’t be. It shouldn’t be.

Were the only words visible inside Adrianna’s mind. They circulated inside, like a recurring decimal with no end. She couldn’t comprehend the three words together, how they linked together to form the strongest yet shortest phrase to pause one’s heartbeat in order to collect all the data and let it process in their brain. It’s a marvelous story, how the lonely classroom of students in their early teens were all crouching in front of the device’s surface staring wide-eyed at the header.

 

 

 

 

 

MISSING: PAYTON HARPER

**Author's Note:**

> hello! ♥
> 
> I was taking a break from my BTS fanfiction and decided to share one of my own stories I made by myself! It isn't complete, but I did make a few chapters on my own. 
> 
> It is not exactly any fandom, but it has similar plots towards CW's Riverdale and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I hope you guys enjoy the first chapter, and I would love to know if I should post the next chapters!  
> Maybe one day when I won't have writer's block, I will write the BTS fanfiction alongside :D
> 
> ONE MORE MAJOR THING:  
> I am not American, but my dumb ass wanted to do something edgy so I chose to make the story revolving around Richmond, VA. Please don't come for me if everything is wrong ;-;


End file.
